Wrench



WRENCH Filed Feb. 4, 1937 I 1WNW...

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R B. JOHNSON 2,099,961)

Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFICE WRENCH Raymond B. Johnson, Gladewater, Tex., assignor of three-fourths to John Kraker, Gladewater,

Tex.

Application February 4, 1937, Serial No. 124,089

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a wrench of the type including a handle having a stationary jaw at one end and a movable jaw shiftable longitudinally of the handle toward and away from the stationary jaw whereby an article to be turned may be gripped between the jaws.

One object of the invention is to provide a wrench of such construction that the movable jaw may be shifted away from the stationary jaw for disposition of an article to be turned between the jaws and the movable jaw then released so that it may be drawn toward the stationary jaw and thus cause the article to be firmly gripped between the jaws.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench wherein the shank of the movable jaw is pivoted to a yoke which fits about the handle or shank of the stationary jaw and is engaged by a spring serving to exert force upon the yoke and draw the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw and in addition cause the yoke to be tilted to such a position that when the wrench is in use and forward force exerted upon the movable jaw the yoke will have binding engagement with the handle of the stationary jaw and thus prevent the movable jaw from slipping out of position to properly grip the pipe or other article between the jaws during a turning motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wrench of this character with means for tilting the yoke out of gripping engagement with the handle or shank of the stationary jaw, this releasing means being in the form of a trigger or lever extending rearwardly of the handle from the yoke where it may be easily actuated by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle of the wrench.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing; wherein Figure 1 is a view showing the improved wrench partially in side elevation and partially in section,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken transversely through the Wrench along the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

This improved wrench has a stationary jaw I which may be formed integral with the forward end of a handle 2 or separate therefrom and secured to the forward end of the handle in any desired manner. Teeth 3 for gripping a pipe or other round object are formed at the front of the stationary jaw, and upon referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the stationary jaw has been formed with an extension 4 which is substantially U-shaped and defines a guide through which the shank 5 of the movable jaw 6 freely passes. A leaf spring I is secured at one end to the rear portion of the stationary jaw by a screw or equivalent fastener 8 and this spring is curved -5 longitudinally, as clearly shown in Figure 1, in order that its free end portion may bear against the inner edge face of the shank 5 and yieldably resist swinging movement of the shank towards the inner end of the guide. It will thus be seen that the movable jaw will be permitted to have yieldably resisted play relative to the stationary jaw to permit the wrench to be turned easily about a pipe or other circular object 9 during movement of the wrench in a retrograde direction but cause the pipe to be firmly gripped between the teeth 3 of the stationary jaw and the teeth [0 of the movable jaw when the wrench is swung in a power stroke direction. l

The rear end of the shank 5 of the movable jaw is pivotally mounted between the arms H of a clutch or yoke l2 by a pin l3, and referring to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the clutch is provided with a cross bar l4 spaced from the bridge l5 and defining a passage l6 through which 25 the handle 2 slidably passes. The confronting faces I! and ll of the bridge l5 and the cross bar H! are curved, as clearly shown in Figure 1 to provide gripping surfaces which slope in opposite directions and are adapted to firmly grip upper and lower faces of the handle 2 when the clutch is tilted or canted from the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1 to the position shown in full lines. When the clutch is in the position indicated by dotted lines and disposed at substantially right angles to the handle ample space will be provided between the gripping surfaces l1 and I1 and the edge faces of the handle to permit the clutch to be slid longitudinally of the handle in a direction to move the movable jaw away from the stationary jaw. A trigger or lever l8 extends rearwardly from the clutch for engagement by a thumb or finger of a hand grasping the handle, and it will thus been seen that a person using the wrench and holding it with one hand may very easily tilt the clutch to the releasing position, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, and then apply pressure forwardly of the wrench to thrust the movable jaw forwardly away from the stationary jaw a sufficient distance to permit a pipe or other object to be engaged between the two jaws. The lever is then released and a spring l9 which has its rear end anchored to the handle by a screw 20 and its forward end engaged with a bridle 2i pivoted to the arms of the clutch will exert pull to swing the clutch towards the operative position shown in full lines in Figure 1 and draw the movable jaw towards the stationary jaw to such a position that the pipe will be engaged between the two jaws. When the clutch is in the operative position shown in full lines in Figure 1, it may be slid rearwardly along the handle and pull exerted by the spring to move the movable jaw towards the stationary jaw but strain exerted upon the movable jaw and the shank 5 to shift the clutch forwardly along the handle will cause the clutch to be rocked forwardly to such a position that the gripping surfaces l? and if will be moved into tight gripping engagement with the edge faces of the handle and forward movement of the movable jaw and the clutch will be prevented. It will thus be seen that strain exerted during use of the wrench cannot cause the movable jaw to shift forwardly out of tight gripping engagement with a pipe during movement of the wrench in a power stroke direction. During retrograde swinging of the wrench to obtain a fresh grip upon the pipe between the jaws, the shank 5 will be permitted to shift its position in the guide in opposition to action of the leaf spring I and the gripping teet of the two jaws will slide about the pipe. It will thus be seen that the wrench may be very easily applied to a pipe and once a pipe is engaged between the two jaws the usual oscillating motion may be imparted to the wrench for swinging the wrench in apower stroke direction to turn the pipe and then swinging it in a retrograde direction into position to obtain a fresh grip upon the pipe. If it is desired to dismantle the wrench in order to make repairs or replace broken parts, it is merely necessary to remove the pin 53 and the securing screw 20 for the rear end of the spring i9 and the movable jaw and its shank can be slid forwardly through the guide 4 and the clutch slid rearwardly off the handle. Necessary repairs or replacements can then be made and the wrench easily and quickly reassembled.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a wrench, a stationary jaw, a handle extending rearwardly from said jaw, a guide carried by the stationary jaw, a movable jaw in front of the stationary jaw having a shank extending rearwardly through said guide, a clutch yoke fitting loosely about said handle and having its upper end pivoted to the rear end of said shank,

walls of the handle-receiving passage of said clutch yoke being formed with cam surfaces for gripping the handle when the upper end of the clutch is forced forwardly, a spring carried by said stationary jaw and extending into said guide and engaging said. shank, a trigger extending rearwardly from said clutch between the handle and the pivotal connection of the clutch and shank, and a spring extending longitudinally of said handle with its rear end anchored to the handle and its forward end connected with the clutch yoke under said trigger.

2. In a wrench, a stationary jaw, a handle extending rearwardly therefrom, a guide carried by said stationary jaw, a movable jaw in front of the stationary jaw having a rearwardly extending shank loosely engaged through said guide, a clutch fitting loosely about said handle and pivoted to said shank and provided with gripping surfaces confronting faces of the handle and adapted to firmly grip the same when the clutch is tilted in one direction by pressure exerted upon the movable jaw during use of the wrench, and a spring for urging the clutch toward its operative position and exerting force to draw the clutch and the movable jaw rearwardly.

3. In a wrench, a stationary jaw, a handle, a movable jaw in front of the stationary jaw, a shank for the movable jaw extending rearwardly in spaced and substantially parallel relation to said handle, a clutch pivoted to said shank and loosely engaged about said handle, resilient means for tilting the clutch in one direction towards its operative position and exerting rearward pull upon the clutch for drawing the movable jaw toward the stationary jaw, and means for tilting the clutch out of a gripping position whereby the clutch may be shifted forwardly and the movable jaw moved forwardly away from the stationary aw.

4. In a wrench, a stationary jaw, a handle extending rearwardly from the same, a movable jaw, a shank extending rearwardly from the movable jaw, a clutch pivotally carried by said shank and fitting loosely about the handle and being movable into position to grip the handle by force exerted forwardly upon the movable jaw, and means for exerting rearward pull upon the clutch below its pivotal mounting to tilt the clutch towards its operative position and draw the movable jaw rearwardly toward the stationary jaw.

RAYMOND B. JOHNSON. 

